DANCING-mad Sara Davies waited her whole life to receive the call up to Britain’s most popular dance contest.

And the successful businesswoman and steely-eyed Dragon’s Den judge says she’s having the time of her life appearing on the latest series of Strictly Come Dancing.

Sara, from Coundon, County Durham, continues to celebrate the success of her Crafter’s Companion business she set up from her bedroom at university.

Her creative ideas and sound business nous has reportedly earned her millions and in 2019 she made her debut as a Dragon in 2019.

But now the 37-year-old is the one having to impress the judges and admits the tables have turned from her hot seat to the bright lights, flashy costumes and intensity of the dancefloor.

Instead of hearing business ideas from budding entrepreneurs, she’s now learning everything about the cha cha and foxtrot alongside professional dancer Aljaž Škorjanec.

The Northern Echo: North East Business woman Sara Davies with her Strictly dance partner Aljaz Skorjanec at the Joanne Banks Dance School in Spennymoor Picture: SARAH CALDECOTTNorth East Business woman Sara Davies with her Strictly dance partner Aljaz Skorjanec at the Joanne Banks Dance School in Spennymoor Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT

“I am having the absolute time of my life,” said Sara on a visit to the Joanne Banks Dancers studio in Spennymoor yesterday.

“It is the best experience. I’m enjoying learning the dancing, performing the dancing, everything.”

Yet the intensity of Strictly isn’t for the faint-hearted and the dance pair have already experienced the full brunt of the rollercoaster of emotions that comes with the show.

After the first week, the pair received a disappointing 17 out of 40 – the lowest score recorded – and were quickly dubbed the ‘favourite’ to be voted out the following week.

However thanks to fancy footwork during their foxtrot the pair bounced back to score 34 points – the joint highest of the whole weekend.

Sara said: “It’s been an emotional rollercoaster. There’s been a lot of tears over the last couple of weeks.

“I was really struggling coming off the back of the first week but that probably gave me more determination to perform more on Saturday.

“I don’t think that high could have got any higher.”

The Northern Echo: Professional dancer Aljaz Skorjanec gives future dance stars tips at the Joanne Banks Dance School in Spennymoor Picture: SARAH CALDECOTTProfessional dancer Aljaz Skorjanec gives future dance stars tips at the Joanne Banks Dance School in Spennymoor Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT

This weekend, the pair will dress up as Princess Fiona and Shrek from the blockbuster animated film and hope to continue to climb the leaderboard.

Sara is finally realising her 15-year-long dream to appear on the show and is putting her “heart and soul” into it.

“I will keep giving it my absolute all,” she added.

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